Sonali Bendre says she had ‘30% survival chance’ after breast cancer diagnosis: ‘Testing went up after my news came out’

Actor Sonali Bendre was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in 2018 and underwent treatment for the same in the US. After beating the disease later that year, she has been encouraging women to get themselves tested for breast cancer. In a new interview, Sonali said that doctors told him that her chance to survive was just 30% and that how her social media revelation about her diagnosis resulted in high testing rates for the disease. Also Read: Sonali Bendre diagnosed with high-grade cancer, says she’s determined to fight every step of the way

Sonali announced her diagnosis in a tweet in 2018. A part of her statement read, “Sometimes when you least expect it, life throws you a curveball. I have recently been diagnosed with high-grade cancer that has metastasised, which we frankly did not see coming. A niggling pain led to some tests, which led to this unexpected diagnosis. My family and close friends have rallied around me, providing the best support system that anyone can ask for. I am very blessed and thankful for each of them.”

In a new interview with Bollywood Bubble, Sonali said, “doctors told me that I had stage 4 cancer and my chance of survival is 30% percent.” She also revealed that how her social media post about her cancer diagnosis increased the testing rates. Sonali said, “At one point, Goldie (Behl) sent me a photo of a newspaper’s headline stating that after my news came out and after I started speaking about it, the testing went up and many people went up to get tested.”

She added, “Today everyone is talking so casually about it. Four years back, it wasn’t like that. So today I accept it was important and glad that I could make that conversation.”

Sonali made her acting debut with the 1994 film Aag. She had her first big hit with the action-romance Diljale (1996). She later appeared in films like Major Saab (1998), Zakhm (1998), Sarfarosh (1999), Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999), and Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai (2000), among others. She has judged many reality shows, such as India’s Best Dramebaaz, Hindustan Ke Hunarbaaz, India’s Got Talent and Indian Idol. She recently made her OTT debut with ZEE5’s show The Broken News.